Sierra Password Training 02.14.2023
Table of Contents
- 1 Password Training 02.14.2023
- 1.1 Training Recording
- 1.2 Q & A Section
- 1.2.1 Sierra
- 1.2.2 Pika Masquerade Mode
- 1.2.3 OverDrive
- 1.2.4 Prospector
- 1.2.5 General Questions
- 1.2.6 Other Vendors
Password Training 02.14.2023
Training Recording
Q & A Section
Sierra
Q: For the default password, if our patron records are the last name, and first name what would happen for someone whose last name is ST., John for example? What would be the default password when ST. is the last name (the first 3 letters have a period)?
A: In the clean-up reports the characters skipped on the name are the comma, spaces, and hyphens. In the final version, I will also add the period as a skipped character for the name field. The answer is we would ignore the period and space and the first three letters would be STJ followed by 4 digits.
Q: How will the Sierra passwords work for academic libraries that have Single Sign On (SS0)? Can we use their student credentials?
A: Currently, Sierra does not have any workable method for SSO integration. Libraries with SSO will send in the patron load with the password fields blank because all of the student patron records have email addresses so they will be able to use the Pika reset password link. Marmot will not overlay the password field with the incoming student data.
Q: After March 28th when we are creating a new patron record, If we swivel the keyboard to the patron and let them enter in their own password, will the password reset field automatically have the date and time stamp? If the patron plans to reset the password in Pika, they would just need to know the temporary password?
A: The password reset field only has an automatic date and time stamp when a patron resets their password in Pika. When you allow a patron to put in their own password in Sierra, you would have to put a message in the reset password field and include a date. The time stamp is optional. If you put in a temporary password in Pika, you would have to tell the patron what you used so they can use the temporary password to reset the password in Pika.
Pika Masquerade Mode
Q: When using masquerade mode can you do Prospector searching?
A: If you did a search for Prospector titles in Pika while masquerading as a patron as long as you have that functionality enabled in your search results, but you cannot place a Prospector hold in Pika. You could use the Prospector - Requesting Items on Behalf of Patrons to place a Prospector hold for your patron.
OverDrive
Q: Will their default password work for Overdrive?
A: Default passwords will work for Overdrive until the patron changes it. In order of operations, we would suggest the patron log into Pika first to change their password.
Q: Will patrons be able to access materials they have already checked out during the 24 hour period before the system makes them log in with the new password, or will Libby block them?
A: Patrons should have access to materials in their account because they will not be logged out of Libby. The system will log them out within 24 hours depending on the last time the patron record was checked or verified by OverDrive. A password change should not prevent a patron from signing into their account.
Q: Can we post a warning that passwords are coming on the Libby sign-on page, ahead of time?
A: Marmot is working with OverDrive to include some information in a banner for the OverDrive site as well as some type of warning in Libby. Marmot will send this information to the eContent Committee for approval.
Q: If we have to reset a password in Sierra, will it take 24 hours for Libby to recognize the new password?
A: It does not take OverDrive 24 hours to recognize that there is a new password in the patron account.The 24 hours is a set default for how often OverDrive checks against a patron’s account. You could technically change the patron account password in Sierra and an hour later the patron gets prompted to log in. It just depends on where it falls within the last time the patron account was checked. It will be sometime within the 24 hours the patron account will be reverified OverDrive. A recent password change should not prevent a patron from signing into Libby. Anytime a patron wants to use a new password right away, they could log out of Libby and log back in.
Prospector
Q: How is the Prospector override code constructed?
A: Prospector Override code construction is as follows /{{override code}}/{{patron barcode}}
Q: What do you do if a patron needs to put a hold on a Prospector material from home?
A: If patrons want to place their own Prospector holds they have to follow the authentication method that is listed which is the patron name, library card/barcode and PIN/password. The Prospector override code should not ever be shared with patrons. If you are on the phone with the patron, you could always do the place a hold on behalf of a patron in Prospector.
Q: What if the patron has a common name? If one library has two women named Jane Doe, for example.
A: Both patrons should have different barcode numbers. The barcode will be the unique identifier for the two accounts. As far as the default password generation, if patrons have the same first and last name, the barcode or phone number is always going to be a part of the authentication that will be different for each person.
General Questions
Q: How soon will we have the ability to do hands-on practice before the official launch date?
A: In Sierra password fields can be manually added right now. Note anything entered now will be overwritten on the go-live. You can also use your test instance of Pika to see how things are going to work. Your Pika test sites are set up with the barcode/password authentication right now. The only systems we cannot test are Overdrive and Prospector.
Q: What time on March 28th will this go live?
A: First thing in the morning.
Other Vendors
Q: Will this impact Kanopy logins?
A: Hoopla and Kanopy do not authenticate in the same way as OverDrive or Prospector. They take the patron’s record and verify it to have the patron create an account in their system. All they are really doing is verifying that the patron has a library card with your library. You can reach out to your Hoopla and Kanopy reps to see if the password authentication can be turned on for your library. Hoopla and Kanopy should both be using PatronAPI initially (password check vendor choice). Your patrons are logging in to Hoopla and Kanopy’s databases and not the Sierra database.